Loom



Julie 25, 1929. M. D. GOURLAY 1 1 LOOM Filed Jan. 28, 1924 3 Shets-Sheetl FFFYL'MIINFW/ June 25, 1929. D, 0'URL 1,718,816

LOOM I Filed Jan. 28, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 CLOSELV WOVEN! LEN c June25, 1929. 'MDGQU'RLAY 1.718.816

LOOM

Filed Jan. 28, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 1MB. Ijig. 6.

any. 1

Patented June 25, 1929.

UNITED STATES MARTIN l3. GOURJLAY, QF CLAREMONT, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

LOOM.

Application filed January 28, 1924. Serial No. 689,074.

My invention relates to looms.

it has for its object to provide an improved loom adapted to produce anin'iproved fabric adapted to various uses, but especially adapted. touse in bed spreads or the like, having an improved textile structure ofwarp and weft threads wherein the same warp and weft threads form boththe ground and the design woven therein and wherein the design as sumesany desired form and the lone is woven independently in any desired formand without necessary repetition across the fabric. A more specificobject of my invention is to provide an improved mechanism for weavingsuch a fabric having improved slackencr mechanism adapted to produce thelatter, and, more iarticularly, an improved loom nicchanism of thejacquard type whereby through the control of the slack in the warp in animproved manner and by improved means, the above results may beobtainedmore satis'liad torily, conveniently, simply and cheaply and withoutsubstantial. change in a Standard Jacquard loom. lhcse and other objectsand advantages of my improvement will hereinafter more fully appear.

in the accompanying drawings 1 have shown for purposes of illustrationone em bodimcnt which my invention may assume in practice, showing ajacquard mechanism for producing a bed. spread fabric, which will befirst considered, and thereafter certain illustrations of the fabric.

In these drawings,

Fig. 1 is a partial vertical sectional view of a jacquard mechanismequipped with my miprovement.

Fig. 2 IS a durgrammatic view partially 111 plan and side elevationshowing one series of warp threads and my improved mechanism for actingupon the same.

Fin. 3 shows enlarged detail views in side and front elevation, of theworking end of a warp slackener.

Fi t is a detail plan view of a part of the \lltl'llflllllfi with aplurality of slack adjusters acting; thereon.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic plan view of a coin ileted spread formed of myimproved fabric.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged diagrammatic view showing the structure of aportion oi a selectcd form. of fabric.

In this illustrative disclosure, in. which I. will. first consider theloom structure, later referring to the fabric produced thereby, it

will be noted that I have shown my invention as applied. to an ordinaryJacquard 100111..

,Referring more jiiarticularly to the 100111 illustrated in Fig. 1, itwill be observed that it comprises the usual. pattern cards 1, cylinder2, grill knives 3, needles l, and ground harness, generally designated5, the latter including the usual lingo mechanism, generally designated6, and including the usual mails 7, weights 8, their flexibleconnections 9, and box 10. Associated with this mechanism is a usualdesign or standard harness generally designated 11, both the ground andstandard harnesses herein being operated by the same cards, etc. thoughobviously different sets may be used if desired. Herein also bothharnesses are passed through a usual comber board 152. Operativelydisposed beneath this board 12 is also, as usual in standard Jacquardlooms, the body of the loom structure. The latter herein includes ahorizontal warp end roll 13 from which the warp ends are drawn,

and a usual horizontal fabric roll mechanism 141 on which the wovenfabric is wound, the latter mechanism including a sand roll, and boththese rolls herein being carried in a loom frame 15. Herein, also thewarp threads or ends 16 which pass over the body of the loom structurefrom the roll 13, extend transversely relative to the harnesses 5 and 11and breast beam. 17, and are acted upon by the shuttle 18 and reed 19 ina usual manner, while the completed fabric is wound on the roll.mechanism 1-1.

In my improved. construction any desired warp ends or groups of warpends are operatively connected to heddles of the standard harness 11 andcertain improved Warp slackener and doup mechanism hereinafterdescribed, in such manner as to enable the selected warp ends orselected groups o'li warp ends to be woven independently of the otherwarp ends or of the other selected ends whenever or wherever desired.More specifically referring to the illustrative construction, lTie 1,the warp ends to be acted upon by the slackeners are first passed over ausual adjustable guide roll 20, on the loom structure above the rol l13, and then under a 'la terally spaced gui de roll 21, adjustable itdesired, between the roll 20 and the ground harness 5. Also, operating v21, are individual warp slackeners 22 having suitably formed ends 23.Herein, these ends 28 are perforated and twisted from the body of theslackener and suitably bushed as shown in Fig. 3, the two adjacentselected warp ends 24, chosen for illustration herein, passing througheach of these ends 23 as shown in Fig. 4. As illustrated in Fig. 1,these slackeners 22, of which there may be any desired number arrangedin any desired arrangement wholly orpartially across the loom, areherein in the form ot relatively long upstanding rods pivotallyconnected on transverse axes at their lower ends as at 26, to slightlyupturned angular extensions 27 on the front ends of vertically disposedand movable plate-like weight members 28 pivoted at their front ends at28 on a transverse axis at the bottom of the loom, the pivots 2S hereinbeing provided adjacent the points of junction of the extensions 27 tothe weight members I 28. As shown, these members 28 are in turn lower.end movable in a suitable aperture in the adjacent side of the box 10,and also has its looped end passed around the two previously mentionedselected warp threads 24,.

25 which extend through the slackeners 22.

More particularly, it will be noted that the arrangement is such that,slack normally being maintained ready for release in the selected groupsof warp ends by the come terbalancing of the slackenm's 22, when thestandard harness 11 and the doup 35 are raised, this slack :is releasedby the elevation of the selected heddles and doups and the resuit-antdepression o'l their connected slackeners, and thereupon each doup actsto pull its selected warp ends from one side of the adjacent series ofunselected warp ends, herein indicated at 37, 38, 39, 40, and under andup on the other side oi? that series. Then the ground harness, whichremains inoperative during this operation, herein for a space oi. fivepicks, is again operated to pull the warp ends back and up in the usualmanner. Here it should also be particularly noted that this combinationof slackeners and doups, while herein shown as used to produce a fabrichaving atwo over four arrangement, i. e.

with a series ofpairs of selected warp ends pulled up on the other sideof a companion group ofu'nselected four warp ends, may it desired-beused in any other arrangement, such, for example,'as to produce a fabrichaving one over five, three over three arrangement, or the reverse ofany of the arrangements mentioned, the particular relation dependingupon the particular ell'ect desired and the material woven. For bedspreads, however, I prefer the two over four arrangement shown as thisseems best adapted to gi vc the rough, hand-crochet etlect desired. Alsoit will be understood that the number and arrangemcnt of slackeners anddoups may si milarly be varied as desired, lhe same being: arranged inany arrangement wholly or partially across the loom as desired orrequired. and, further, through their connection to the standardharness, being operable indcpcndently, or in any sequence, or renderedoperative or inoperative as desired to produce any desired designindicated by the cards. llcle it will also be noted that to guide theslackeners 22 suitable grates ll and rollers -12 are provided for eachslackener, thcse being disposed in the loom frame below the warp endsand above the slackener pivots 26.

In the operation of my improved construction, it will be understoml thatthe Jacquard loom per so will operate as usual, i, c. with its usualoperation of the ground. harncss. shuttle, reed, etc. producing a weavein coll'cspondcnce with the selected design determined by the patterncards. When, however, the pattern is constructed in such a manner, orsuch a separate set of cards is used for the standard harness, as tocause opcrat ion of the doup heddles and doups, (either singly, in anydesired sequence, or in accordance with any variable design) the weavewill he changed more particularly, the two sclcclcd warp ends 2t, 25 inany slackcncl' and doup mechanism called into operation by the ca rdsare then carried by their doup across their adjacent warp ends 37, 38,39, 4-0 in such manner as to be brought up on the opposite side, thedoup drawing up in this operation the slack which the normalcountcrbalancing ol' the weight 28 has caused the slackcner 22 tomaintain ready for release in the selected warp ends. Thus it will benoted that, as the selected warp ends are slaclicncd indepcndently andas these warp ends are indcpcndcntly caused to be lJL'OllQ'llt over withrespect to their fellow warp ends acted upon by the usual groundharness, and all this is cntircly responsive to the operation of thestandard harness and doups and controlled by the jacquard, the etl'ects[)l'OttlU'lHl, including variations of leno and close \vcavc or one tothc exclusion of the other, may be varied into any the forms obtainablefrom a jacquard dcsign.

Thus, for example, as illustrated in Fig. 5, a fabric may be producedhaving closely woven surrounding cross and side borders with an innerleno section in turn enclosin; a closely woven section, while thislatter section in turn surrounds a leno ground having on it a closelywoven design surrounding another leno center. of leno work and closelywoven work and the designs of form and figure formed with either a lenoor a closely woven ground is subject to almost inlinite variation, andyet at the same time whenever desired a completed article, such as aspread, may be produced having the close woven side and cross borders somuch desired. Referring to Fig. 6, in which the weave is considerablymagnified for purposes of clearness of illustration, it will be noticedthat I have shown a fabric in which I have utilized a leno ground with atwill des-iign woven therein, although obviously if desired the twillmay be used for the ground and the leno for the design without in anyway intcrfering with the possible variation of the design or thecreation of the desired side and cross borders. Referring moreparticularly to this figure, it will be noted that a two over four weaveis used with live threads in the weft, such a fabric being produced bythe mechanism previously described and apparently best reproducing thedesired handcrochet effect at the same time that it is adapted for bedspread purposes. It will be evident, however, that there maybe desirablevariants of this weave both as to warp and weft, and that these may beproduced dependin upon the jacquard cards and weft selected.

Considering the weave in Fig. 6 more closely, it will also be noted thatone slackener and doup mechanism, for example, causes the three lenoeffects at the right, indicated at A, though obviously any one or allmay be omitted as determined by the cards. Similarly, the next adjacentslackener and doup mechanism, which. is also capable of being operatedindependently in accordance with my invention, herein causes a separateseries of leno work such as that next adjacent at the left at B, butherein note that this starts at a later point, any slackener and doupconnection by my improvement being made capable of starting or stoppingindependently of any other. Similarly, the third, fourth, :li'lth or anynumber of slackener and doup connections, each of which is capable ofbeing operated independently or rendered independently idle orinoperative whenever desired, may cooperate to cause any desired leno orground effect at any desiredpoint or points in the fabric, the operationof the slackeners and doups, whatever the selected design of the fabricand whether a lone ground with close woven design. or a close wovenground with a leno design is used, being determinedsolely by the patterncards. It will, of course,'be understood that the fabric is so shown inFig. 6 as to bring out most clearly the path of the warp ends acted uponby the slackeners, and that the cooperating warp ends, shown in thatfigure as four warp ends extending vertically through the two In fact,the arrangement deflected warp ends, in the actual fabric also passtransversely relative to these two warp ends in substantially the samemanner as the two warp ends are shown to pass relative to the fourinFig. 6; thus enabling both sets of'warp ends to be drawn from the sameroll.

As a result of my improvement it will be observed that it is madepossible to produce a machine made fabric having the general appearanceof hand. crochet work and in which the design is subject to any desiredvariation without necessary repetition across the fabric, or restrictionto simple subjects such as have heretofore been necessary. At the sametime, it will be noted that, due to the large number of hooks which inmy construction. are left available for the design, it is made possiblefor this fabric to have the side and cross borders so desirable incertain products, such as bed spreads, irrespective of:

in accordance with my improvement and their ready and quick insertion atsmall. expense on the base of such standard loom construction. It willalso be observed that my slackener mechanism is exceedingly elliective,my improved slackeners tending to maintain the same slack at all timeswith a minimum of attention on the part of the weaver. Moreparticularly, it will be noted that due to the counter-lullancing of theslackeners and their connection to the doup harness as herein, thestrain upon the heddles is minimized. Also the slackeners are renderedreadily and certainly operable by the harness and gravity, respectively,while the guides provided further assist in maintaining the desiredfacility and certainty of operation. At the same time, it is madepossible by comiecting a harness and my slackeners, to reduce the lengthof the strings as compared with previous devices. As a result, in. myimproved constrimtion both the loss of slackening eil'ect arising fromstretching and the need for adjusting the strin to take up stretch areminimized. The location of this slackener l'l'iechanism beneath the warpis also adv-antageous, permitting handy access to the slacli'enermechanism by the weaver if andwhen necessary. As a re sult of providingi-ilackener 'i'iechanism so disposed, it is also made possible tofacilitate access of the weaver when necessary from the back of theloom, no additional strings being lllii in the way in rear of the usualharnesses. By

the provision of my improved mechanism it 1s also made possible toreduce the number of strings required in front and back of the loom,thereby through the reduction in the strings not only reducing the costof equipping and maintaining a loom, but further facilitating access ofthe operator at these points and also reducing the number of holesrequired in the comber board. These and other advantages of myimprovement Wlll,

' however, be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

lVhile I have in this application specifically described one embodimentwhich my improved mechanism may assume, it will be understood that thisis entirely an illustrative disclosure and that the mechanism may bemodified without departing from my invention, it being my intention toinclude all such departures or modifications within the scope ofthe.appended claims. I

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

-' comber board through which said harness is passed, and individualwarp end slackeners connected to strings of said harness below thecomber board. i

5. A loom having doups and heddles therefor, and mechanism connected tosaid heddles and disposed beneath the warp for automatically insertingand removing slack in warp ends,

6. A loom having hooks and a doup harness eonnectedthereto, andindividual warp end slackeners having connterbalances connected tostrings of said harness below the hooks, said counterbalances beingdisposed beneath the warp.

7. A loom having a doup harness and a comber board through which saidharness is passed, and individual warp end slackeners connected tostrings of said harness below the comber board, said slackeners beingdisposed beneath the warp.

- 8. A loom havingdoups including heddles therefor, and mechanismcontrolled by the doup mails for automatically inserting and removingslack in certain selected individual warp ends.

9. A loom -having doups-and heddles therefor and individual warp endslackening mechanism, and means connected to the lower ends of the doupheddles for automatically operating the v slackening mechanism.

10. A loom having doups and heddles therefor and individual warp endslackening mechanism, the latter disposed beneath the warp, and meansoperated by the doup heddles for automatically operating the slackeningmechanism.

11. A loom having individual warp end slackeners and individualcounterbalancing means therefor normally holding the slack eners in warpdeflecting position, one of said elements being disposed beneath thewarp.

12. A loom having individual. warp end slackeners normally elevating thewarp ends and means for individually lowering the slackeners to provideslack, both of said elements being disposed beneath the warp.

13. A loom having doups and. heddles therefor, and counterbalancednormally elevated individual warp end slackencrs beneath the warpnormally deflecting the warp ends and lowered when the heddles areraised.

14. A Jacquard loom having a harness equipped for leno work and meansdisposed beneath the warp for inserting slack in selected warp ends inaccordance with the pattern cards.

15. A Jacquard loom having a harness equipped for leno work, individualwarp end slackeners, and actuating means therefor connected to heddlesof said harness beneath the warp and operative to insert slack inselected warp ends at any point in the design.

16. A Jacquard loom having a harness equipped for leno work, slackenersoperable on warp ends and disposed beneath the warp, and meanscontrolled by heddles in said herness and likewise disposed beneath thewarp for rendering any one of said slackcners operative to insert slack.

17. A Jacquard loom having a harness equipped for leno work, andcounterbalanced slackeners disposed beneath the warp operable uponactuation of said harness and individually controlled by the patterncards.

18. A loom having provision for inserting slack in a selected warpthread, including a. slackcner and an operatively connectedconnterbalance therefor, the latter being lo HliCtl beneath the warp,and slackener actuating means connected to said counterbalance.

19. A Jacquard loom equipped for leno I work and having operati vel yconnected doups and slackeners connected to the heddles thereof acenttheir lower ends and acting on selected warp ends independently inaccordance with the design.

20. A Jacquard loom equipped for leno work and having doups andslaekeners each acting on the same warp ends and each connected toheddles thereof, with the slackeners operated by the doup mails tocreate the slack for the doups.

21. A loom having doup and slaekener mechanisms including doupsoperating to take up the slack inserted by the slackeners and carry upthe warp ends 011 the opposite side of adjacent Warp ends, and operativeconnections between the doup heddles and slackeners including slackenercounterbah ancing members beneath the Warp.

An individual warp end slackener mechanism for looms comprising aslackener arm adapted to deflect a warp end and a weighted memberpivotally connected thereto adapted to normally hold. said slackener armin warp deflecting position while substantially counter balanced by saidslackener arm.

22-3. An individual warp end slackener mechanisn'l for looms comprisingan el0n gated arm adapted to engage and lift a warp end, a weightedmember pivotally connected to said arm and supported for pivotalmovement in the base of the loom normally holding said elongated arm inelevated. position, and guide mechanism for the warp engaging end ofsaid elongated arm.

2st. A loom having beneath the warp a plurality of slackener arms eachadapted to de- 'l'lect a warp end, and a plurality of Weighted memberspi votally connected thereto and adapted to hold. said slackener armsnormally in raised. warp deflecting position, said weighted membersbeing pivotally supported on the loom beneath the warp.

25. A loom having beneath the warp a plurality of slackener arms eachadapted to deduct :1 warp end, a plurality of weighted members pivotallyconnected thereto and adapted to hold said slackener arms normally inraised warp deflecting position, said weighted memhers being pivotallysupported on the loom and. likewise disposed beneath the Warp, andguiding mechanism in the loom frame beneath the warp guiding themovement of said slackener arms.

26. A loom equipped for leno work having a warp end deflecting arm,means substanti ally counterbalancerl thereby but holding the same inwarp deflecting position, and slack inserting means including a,connection between the doup heddle acting on the selected warp end andsaid holding means.

27. A loom equipped for leno work having a warp end deflecting arm,means substantially counterbalanced thereby but holding the same in warpdeflecting position, and slack inserting means incll'idin g a connectionbetween. the doup mail acting on the selected *arp end and said holdingmeans, said. arm and its holding means being disposed beneath the warp.

28. A loom having a heddle, a mail connected thereto, a doup o])eratively connected to said mail and controlling a. Warp thread, aslackener p ivotally mounted on the loom and engageable with the warpend controlled by said. doup and acting to deflect said end, and aconnection between said mail and said. slackener operative to move thelatter about its pivot when said, hoddle is raised.

29. A loom having a heddle, a mail connected. thereto, a doupoperatively connected to said, mail and controlling a warp thread, aslackener pivotally mounted on the loom and having means norn'iallycausing the same to engage the warp end controlled by said d cup andacting to deflect said end, and a. connection between said. mail andsaid last mentioned means operative to move the latter about its pivotwhen said heddle is raised.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

7 MARTIN D. GOURLAY.

